


Livin' On A Prayer

by Rollyzen



Category: Homestuck
Genre: -but only kind of ??, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Magic, Dave is kind of a demon, Demonstuck, F/F, M/M, Not Beta Read, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rose Lalonde and Dave Strider are Siblings, Strilondes, Vampire Dave Strider, Witch Rose Lalonde, he's something, ish
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-04-07 18:01:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14086518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rollyzen/pseuds/Rollyzen
Summary: Your sister was supposed to be the creepy occult one. And she IS but everyone makes mistakes when they're young, so you were kind of pulled into it. Becoming part demon was a total accident on both your parts. However, you've noticed the perks of it, and maybe it's not so bad- especially if you get the chance to freak out your cute neighbor during a power outage.





	1. Prologue

Your name is **Dave Strider**. You're freshly **eighteen** and living in your own shitty **apartment**. Life is good. And you're also  **part demon- or something**.

-

You'd like to say it was all your sister Rose's fault, but there was only a small amount of truth in that. It was a smorgasbord of variables that led to it- The Incident. Their mom didn't pay attention to her for shit. Bro was out of town and dumped him with her because he would be gone too long for Dave to stay by himself at the apartment. His sister's hobbies had never been monitored close enough, and she'd ended up with shit she wasn't old enough to understand or deal with. And Dave was a nosy shit. He also knew Rose would indulge him if he played along with all the weird shit she did. She'd listen to him rant and talk with attention he scarcely got. It was a decent trade off.

Until, of course, it wasn't. Rose wanted to dip her toes into rituals or something. Dave wasn't that interested and didn't particularly care. He just had to stand in a dope-ass looking circle she'd drawn outside in chalk while she did her thing. "Just a test." She'd said. They were only thirteen and not nearly prepared enough to deal with the aftermath of her botched witchery. You don't remember everything, it's a little spotty, but the _fire_ that raced through your whole body was something you could never forget. The pain from the slice of a blade that he would privately complain about for _days_ was a flick compared to that moment of agony. He remembered Rose screamed while pain roared in his head and nearly drowned her out. She was at his side a second later and screaming for their mom this time. He was kneeling on the ground while Rose had one of her hands in a vise grip on his bicep. Then he felt a pang in his stomach that had rattled his whole body.

It was one of the worst days of either of their lives. Rose ended up in the hospital because Dave had bitten her, and she'd lost a lot of blood. Their mom had separated them and had hit Dave hard enough he saw stars. You remember staying completely still while she'd held Rose in her arms and called a cab. She wouldn't drive while she was over the legal limit. You didn't even move once the yellow car had disappeared down the road, out of sight. Rose said she was only at the hospital over night for stitches and a blood transfusion, but you were gone for days. That's the part you can't recall very well. The Lalonde's lived on a huge estate with a forest behind it. That was where your mom found you. You remember she'd had a gun.

Rose had been tentative when you'd walked in the door. Your hair was greasy, clothes dirty and ripped, glasses gone. She could easily see when you were about to cry. They sat in the entry hall for an hour until they'd both calmed down. She apologized too many times for him to count, but Dave was no better. The whole time, he was thinking about how disappointed Bro would be to find him crying on his sister. That helped him dry it up quick.

The next week was when Bro came back from his trip to pick up Dave. He and Rose had been trying to figure out what made him tick, so he wouldn't hurt anybody. Mom Lalonde hovered nervously for a few days, always with a gun nearby, until she was comfortable. Then his bro found out. Rose had figured that the hungrier you were, the more demonic your features got. Then she'd explained about when you attacked her your ears had been longer and pointed along with your teeth. Your eyes, though, had become permanently more red. She knew this upset you more than anything else, so neither of you talked about it.

When Bro arrived, she wasn't surprised you knew first. That morning they'd started testing how far his hearing had enhanced. Everything had felt so normal that he hadn't thought twice about going to meet Bro outside. He was opening the door of his irritatingly orange car when Dave met him in the driveway. Upon seeing him, Bro did a double-take and rushed over to him. "What happened to you, little man?" He'd said urgently with his hands clamped on your shoulders. That was when they found out the transformation also coincided with his nerves and anxiety. And also when Bro left and never came back.

Rose came outside a few minutes later and took him inside. He shut himself up in his room for the rest of the day, heart throbbing in his chest. You always thought "broken heart" was an exaggeration. Yeah, you were wrong.

That summer was the best and worst of your life. You realized Rose was easily your best friend. Even though guilt would sometimes overwhelm her and she needed space from you, you didn't blame her. It _did_ kind of suck to be you then. But she helped you while your mom became even more distant from you. You had fun, though. You were both practically scientists by the end of the summer. There were endless experiments to do to figure out what all had changed about you. As usual, you would entertain most of her ideas, but now you meant it. For once, you actually bonded with someone instead of sword fighting. Rose actually tried to learn about it from you. That was when you stumbled upon the increased strength you'd adopted. Rose had a sprained wrist but a fierce look in her eyes that prompted more tests.

Late at night when you'd both stay up with a hot drink in the kitchen, you'd talk about what might have done it. What went so wrong that it changed your life completely? Bad vibes all around on those nights. Rose would badger herself for not knowing enough but trying it anyways. Dave would curse his presumption of being safe and not believing like Rose did. Some days were better than others.  


* * *

 

Now, five years later, he was all the way across the country in Washington starting college. Thanks to Rose, he became an excellent student and made it into his first choice. She teased him, insisting it said something about their family issues that he chose to move across the country. She was still in her final year of high school but would be following him soon enough. They'd become grossly dependent on each other over the years, as was showcased once she'd left for home after helping him settle in his new apartment.

"Rose, come back." He said after she picked up on the second ring.

She sighed, "Very funny, David. I _just_ got off the plane. Surely you haven't destroyed the city yet."

"I think I'm dying, Rose. Who's going to call 911? _I_ Can't do it. How am I supposed to pick up a phone if I'm melting into the floor from the scarce rays of sunlight? Oh no, it appears my vision is failing. A.. light. Rose, there's a light calling to me. I see old people with gross, wrinkled hands reaching out to touch my silken, virgin hair. Is this heaven or hell, Roseline? My skin is aflame with the fires of sinful space and beady-eyed grandmas."

"Dave, we established a very long time ago that only prolonged direct sunlight can harm you, and while your falsified hallucinations are always entertaining, Mom is prowling around the tourists practicing her french. I really should get going."

He releases a light breath, "Yeah, okay. Save the foreigners. Call me when you get the chance."

"Alright. Love you, bye."

"Love you, bye."

You look around at all the unpacked boxes and wonder if this was really the right choice. It was still cold as fuck like Maine, but it wasn't familiar like he'd thought it might be. In Maine, everything had a charm to it that he'd learned to like. The snow was pretty, even if he didn't go out much. He'd been in the city only a few days with Rose, and the weather was dreary. More misting than raining or snowing. Rose reminded him he couldn't lock himself up out here, but it was becoming more and more tempting. College loomed over him without anything to distract him. His turntables hadn't arrived yet, and he didn't feel like playing anything else besides them. His stomach rumbled, and he groaned. He was going to become very friendly with the local butcher.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ignore any mistakes. I'll get around to fixing them.

Rose had called everyday for the past week. You're pretty sure half of it is to humor you and the other half was her actually wanting to. Your mother had humorously called you her guard dog, but she wasn't completely wrong. She was easily picked on in school, especially because of how out of the ordinary she was. While she was more likely to ignore it, you had no such reservations. Despite the grade difference, you could be found with her more often than not. People started picking on her less and less. Rose hypothesized that maybe you had an intimidating aura that dissuaded confrontation. You agreed but only because you didn't want her to find out you beat the fuck out of every single one of those pricks after school. You think she knew anyways.

Now it's different. Rose can beat the fuck out of people she wants herself, and Dave can rest easy because he _knows_ that. Well as easy as he can with heavy boxes all over his apartment. Procrastination doesn't change no matter how far you moved, apparently. He'd had Chinese almost every night so far. The delivery system was great, but he was running out of cash and they didn't take cards. For the whole day, instead of moping, he decided to unpack his kitchen. He'd gone with Rose to buy a bunch of appliances he surely wouldn't need but she insisted on. They all sat opened and brand new on his counter by eight at night. The other boxes were pushed against the walls for tomorrow. A soft melody started in the apartment next door.

Your neighbor loved to play the piano. You probably wouldn't have been able to hear it if you were completely human. They weren't bad, either. You're glad it wasn't a repeat of your sister's escapades at learning the violin. You swear to god you would've fucking moved. You start humming along with the, by now, familiar tune as you plug in the only appliance you really care about. The coffee maker.

Then the lights go out.

_Fuck_.

The piano player fumbles over the keys. Your eyes glow faintly behind your shades. You really hope that wasn't your fault.  
Even after finding and flipping the breakers, the lights don't come back on. Shit. The leftover Chinese food isn't a problem. The blood, however, is. Some of it was in the freezer, which would probably be okay for a bit, but he wasn't sure how long the stuff in the fridge would be okay.

_Only me_ , He thought drearily.

He found the 'housewarming' basket Rose had got for him and sifted through it until he found the candles because _black candles should be a staple in every bewitching home, David_. He was actually pretty thankful for the abundance of them at the moment. There were also a lot of creepy books he doesn't doubt she has copies of for herself. Those get set on the kitchen table. Looking over the scene after he'd set them up, his sister would be proud at how downright creepy it made everything look. There were many smaller ones spread out on the dining table and counter that had tall flames. She'd made sure to give him _five_ thick candles because she loves subtle humor. As he walked away the lights grew dimmer. Slowly, he turned around and watched them rise the got closer he got. He huffed a laugh. Did Rose not know the meaning of the words  _fire_  and _hazard_? You wouldn't replace your witchy sister for anyone.

A knock at the door stole your attention away from the candles. A brief listen revealed a slightly elevated heartbeat that made your throat dry. In a force of habit, you pushed your shades up higher on your nose. Grabbing a candle, you pad over and open the door. The kid on the other side jumps at how fast you opened it, and you internally grimace. The lights in the open breezeway obviously aren't working, but there's enough daylight left for you to see his embarrassed flush.

"Uh, hi." He says waving a hand awkwardly.

Dave shifts his feet,"Sup."

The kid's hair is a certifiable Mess. Brown locks swoop every which way and stick out wherever it can. He's got on a white t-shirt with a booger monster printed on it and tan cargo shorts. _Shorts_. So, he's also crazy.

"Can I help you? Or should we stand here ogling each other some more?"

He goes even more red and sputters,"I- I wasn't."

Dave sighs,"Yeah, sure. Great. Glad we had this talk."

You go to shut the door only for it to be firmly stopped by the slap of a hand against it. You look at him sharply and wait for him as he visibly pulls himself together.

"I was wondering if you had any spare candles? That I could borrow." He clarifies.

You relent on slamming the door in his adorkable face.

"Oh, really? I thought you just wanted to know. Yes, I have some. Step in if you want while I find them. You're letting the heat out."

The kid steps in and you hear his heartbeat get faster. Nothing like scaring the locals. The occult gift basket sits innocently on the couch, away from the other candles. Which was _really_ convenient because you forgot they did the weird flame boosting thing.

"You play guitar?" he asks suddenly.

You look over to find him eyeing up your bass by the kitchen. The candles don't get any larger by his proximity. Rose was a crafty one.

"That's a bass, but I do play it. Are you the one who plays the piano next door?"

You finally start pulling out a few candles.

"Oh, geez! Is it too loud? I've never had a noise complaint before! But the old man who lived here last was also nearly deaf..so.."

Dave quirked an eyebrow at him and then, realizing he probably couldn't see it, just clucked his tongue.

"No. You're good, so it doesn't bother me."

He starts fidgeting with his hands,"Thanks. Did you just move in?"

"For about a week now. Thanks for noticing. When's my welcome party? I thought I was going to be the new pariah of the complex, and everyone was going to gossip about me in secret like some housewives' book club. I'm relieved to know I was just too sneaky to receive my warm welcomes and hard-earned baked goods."

The other boy seems to have tuned him out while trying to read some of the books on his dining table. With an arm full of candles, he steps up behind him. Dave's had way too much practice on sneaking up on people. Rose and Mom would agree.

"Boo."

The brunette jumps away from him and knocks into the table. Some of the wax from the candles spill over onto the glass.

"Sorry!"

"Jesus, kid. I know you're creeped out, but I'm not gonna' murder you."

"Who are you calling kid? I'm twenty!"

You pause. The smooth and youthful look was damning for some people.

"You really don't look it. Anyways, here's the candles. Be safe and have her home no later than ten. I'll be waiting with my shotgun."  
  
He hurries to keep up with the way you give him the candles.

"T-ten?! But I don't know when the power's gonna be-"

"It's a joke. It's a joke. Bring 'em back whenever you want."

You reassure him as you usher him out the door. The air nips at your skin once he's out. You deftly slip a lighter into his pocket, and he starts sputtering again because of it.

"Alright, have fun."

The door is almost shut when he put's his foot in the way, stopping it.

"John! My name is John."

You peek back out to see his face flushed and conflicted.

"Dave."

You easily bump his foot out of the way and shut the door. Rose would be extremely disappointed in how you handled that entire situation. Or Mom would be at least. Rose wasn't the best person to choose as a moral compass.

John. It'd be nice to make friends with at least one of his neighbors. Although, he had no idea how such a spaz could play the piano so beautifully. Or smell so good.  
You've never really had a huge problem with blood before except for recent years. The height of puberty sucked far more for you than it should have. Pun intended. The amount you had to drink increased along with unreliable shifts in your abilities. So, yeah. Dave Problems.

Like the mere thought of them could summon her, your phone rang.

"Hello, beloved sister."

"Dave, hi. Have you met anyone interesting today?"

She doesn't normally start off so animated without letting you monologue.

"I've met..one person?"

You can hear the smile in her voice,"That's good. Who are they?"

"My neighbor. His name's John, and he's _twenty_. But he looks like he's a _teenager_."

"David," She starts amiably. "Did you have an altercation with your neighbor?"

You hop up on the counter to get comfortable.

"So, like half an hour the power went out. Yes, it still is, Rose. He just pops over to ask for some spare candles in the most drawn out and uncomfortable way possible. So, yeah.

I lent him some of the candles you gifted me in your cult basket. What did you do to the candles, by the way? They're pretty cool, but also a _fire hazard_ , Rose."

"What do you mean?"

"The flame thing."

"Dave, those are regular candles. I didn't do anything to them. I would tell you."

You glance at the candles warily,"Uh.."

"I'll see if I can fly back soon?"

"That'd be great. Talk to you later."

You were going to irrationally and ironically blame John for this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my tense of speech is kind of fucked but im prolly not gonna do anything about it. also the character dynamic is kind of different because dave and rose, instead of staying so isolated, learned to depend on each other. Dave's being pushed out of his comfort zone so he's kind of an asshole. questions are welcomed but im tired 24/7


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lil something. I feel like i didn't have a lot of /passion/ while writing this, but it's been quite a while since I updated.

You, John Egbert, are freaked the fuck out.

It isn't often you find yourself worked up over anything other than school. However, you've been proved wrong quite a lot in the past week, so what do _you_ know? It all started with the power outage. You've lived in your apartment for a few years, and it's common knowledge now that the passing road is a bit treacherous at times. This is the first time someone crashed into the light pole, though. So you were obviously ill-equipped to squander around in the dark. And because you obviously had an itch to be yelled at by a crotchety old man, you left your house to see if Mr. Nabes had any candles you could borrow. You think the only thing he liked about you was that you played the piano whenever he asked. You _know_ that old man could hardly hear, so you aren't sure how he enjoyed it. Considering he hated the entire building and everyone in it, including you, you'll take what you can get.

You are extremely unprepared to see Not Mr. Nabes snatch the door open and seemingly stare you down while the reflection of fire danced in his sunglasses.

You thought your heart stopped. For one, Mr. Nabes was not a young, attractive, blonde, Caucasian, male _heartthrob_. And he was certainly not in a cult, either. A sacrificial cult, oh no.

Immediately, you felt stupid for not knowing your neighbor had moved, or maybe died. Wow, that made you feel shitty.

But the more you heard your new neighbor say, the more you thought they similar yet worlds apart from each other. The kid never stopped talking, and he was snappy. They would've hated each other. Mr. Nabes liked the quiet. And because you apparently can't help yourself, you make a fool of yourself at least twice. Okay, it was _dark_ , so you couldn't see the instrument propped on the wall _that_ clearly. Thank goodness the guy didn't pick on you for it. He also moved _way_ too quietly. Somehow, you didn't notice when he stopped talking, too absorbed in taking in his dark apartment. Then he was _there_ , right behind you. Your heart probably stopped for the second time. You're also seventy percent sure you spilt some of the wax from the lit candles onto the table with how hard you flinched.

Despite how extremely embarrassed and uncomfortable you were, you got a name from your new neighbor.

Dave.

So, you now had a creepy and attractive neighbor that might be thinking about murdering you now for his sacrificial cult. Possibly. Maybe.

It was nice while it lasted. Well, not really.

 

* * *

 

The power came back on during the afternoon the next day. A car had crashed into one of the light poles outside the building. You probably would have known that sooner if you'd left your house. At all. Funnily enough, you'd never considered yourself a recluse until now. Back at home it was fine because you had Rose, sometimes Mom, to keep you company so it was never "quiet". Now, with the mechanics of a city not too far away, you were feeling different. There was a lot more energy here compared to Rose's lazy Maine. It made you feel lethargic in comparison. Rose would've said something witchy if you'd told her that.

John plays piano at every possible moment, and you still listen in on him like a creep. Rose knows about this and has agreed that you are indeed the creepiest. You've made plans for her to come over as soon as possible to see what's up with this whole _fire_ situation they never noticed. Dave's excited for that, of course, but, more importantly, his turntables arrived. The movers made quite a racket, yelling back and forth to each other. You'd stood outside to monitor them for zero reasons. _Coincidentally_ , you were standing right in front of John's apartment. You _definitely_ weren't interested in seeing him again. You didn't have _time_ to ogle eye candy like you were still in high school. Or wonder if they liked apple juice.

So when John pokes his head out the door, Dave _definitely_ doesn't give him his most charming smile to coax him out. It's twelve in the afternoon, but John looks like he just woke up as he steps into the hall. It did things to his stomach he would deny until the cows came home.

"Sup, John."

John looks at him warily, "Hey, Dave."

"Sleep well last night?" He notices John isn't wearing glasses like yesterday.

"Uh," He starts. "Y-yeah, I guess. Are those your turntables?"

You nod, "The very same."

It's no trouble to let whatever threads of a conversation that had begun to form drop. So you have no idea why you open your mouth and continue it.

"Is piano the only instrument you play?"

John's sleepy eyes light up a bit at the topic. You listen as he talks about how much he loves playing and learn more than anticipated. He's been at it since he was ten years old and is pursuing it at the same college you'll be attending. He tells you, very seriously, that if you really wanted some baked goods, then you could raid his kitchen at any time you wanted. He got laughably flustered upon you emphasizing "I'd _love_ to raid _your_ kitchen." Honestly, it's not your best, but he was too sleepy for it to matter much. You were glad you'd struck an unintentional goldmine, and John invites you inside for _actual treats, Dave. Geez._

 

* * *

 

Rose was conflicted in her excitement. You know this. Even with your encouragement, she continued to carry around her guilt like a badge of office. She complained about making the trip but still decided to stay two days to make sure you weren't about to fall apart. You honestly appreciate it because you weren't so sure yourself. One of you had to know.

Mom called you, too. That was weird. Rose being gone so soon must have worried her. You know she's going to send you an alcoholic "congratulations on moving out" present at least once a month despite the fact that you couldn't legally drink. Maybe she'd find something thoughtful to switch it up for once. Doubtful.

Due to the whole being-in-the-city thing, you and your sister couldn't do any actual 'experiments' like you used to at the privacy of her "estate". It was actually pretty anti-climatic when she arrived. You'd hung out on the stairs closest to your apartment- that nobody used because of their inconvenience- and attempted to play around with fire a bit. That was about the extent your scientific capabilities went.

Unfortunately, that's when she met John. While she held a burning cigarette precariously close to your skin, John had come up the opposite staircase to get to his apartment. Rose's eyes flitted between the two of you before she dropped the cigarette and approached him. You'd jumped when it hit your arm. But when you picked it up from where it had tumbled off and rolled it between your fingers, you noticed that the hairs on your skin weren't even singed.

Dave stomped out the ember and followed Rose over to John. He looked to be a whole different kind of uncomfortable with Rose than when it was just the two of them. Rose smiled politely, and Dave knew she was going to try to get in his head. In Dave's mind, he briefly pictured the witch trying to coax a spooked animal into her circle for a sacrifice. Of course, Rose isn't really a fan of circles anymore, obviously. So his entire mental visage is shattered. Thanks, Rose. _Wow, he needed coffee._

"So, you're..uh, this is your girlfriend, Dave?"

Rose looks amused as she takes a step back. Your mouth twists up as you shove her over anyways.

"Ew, no. Gross. She's cool, but I'm not into my sister, John. How _dare_ you make light of my feelings for you. I'm not some cheap romantic vagabond."

He flashed his buckteeth in a sheepish smile while his cheeks pinked, "Oh, my bad. You both just look good together. Uh- I mean- not like that! You're both, like, attractive and seem comfortable around each other."

You can't see his ears under the mop he calls hair, but you'd be willing to bet they were burning as much as his face.

Rose laughs lightly, "Don't worry, John. He's completely available."

As Rose says this, your stomach knots. John tries to back pedal from saying you were attractive. Rose seems oddly entertained, but it's getting a bit too _real_ for your taste. The sound of John's fast-paced heartbeat is the only thing your mind is focusing on. Two distinct pin-pricks on your bottom lip remind you to abscond.

"Wow, I totally forgot I have the oven on. Catch ya later, John."

You barely keep yourself at a walk as you go into your apartment. Obviously, you did not forget about the oven, as it is not on.The door shuts behind you, and you barricade yourself in your room. The pads of your fingers ghost over the pointed tips of your ears mournfully. You hear the door shut and Rose's footsteps as she approaches. The door opens, but she doesn't say anything as you pace the length from your closet to your bed. You'd briefly mentioned that your appetite had increased while living in the city, but that was nothing major. And it _really_ wasn't. It was just unsettling (he refused to say scary) when his stomach would ache more frequently than he was used to. It threatened the control he'd built up.

"John seems nice. Are you actually interested in him or are you having fun?" She teased. " _He_ seems to have a crush on you at least."

Dave felt his mouth go dry.

"Well, how would you feel if I told you I got his number?"

His head snapped up to look at her. She leered at him smugly, and his face flushed.

"See? Your actions speak for themselves."

"Rose." He huffs. "I can't be in a relationship."

Like always, her face closed off. But it was true. He couldn't and would never have a close relationship like that. The allure of human blood would be too much, too much to risk. Family was different. Rose and Mom were different. He would rather die than hurt either of them. And Dave wouldn't give either of them cause to push him away. He couldn't deal with something like Bro happening again. Mom, despite her aloofness to him, still acted as a functional parent to him once Bro left, and it made all the difference- to him _and_ to Rose. With what Dave had become, Mom was forced into a sobriety Rose had never seen. She got a _real_ mother, and Dave got a sister as his best friend. They knew what he was like, and they were still there. They were safe.

It was realistic that to keep John at an arms length.

"I...I forgot. I'm sorry, Dave."

She balled her hands, becoming an image that made his stomach twist. Her easy confidence and cadence were buried underneath that familiar burden of guilt and shame.

" _Rose_." His quick breath hissed through his fangs. "It's okay. There isn't a human on this earth that can handle my Strider-Lalonde max combo personality anyways."  
Dave looped his arm around hers and pulled them both from his room despite his less than human appearance.

"Now listen, John is a nice little human boy. Whatever _doesn't_ happen doesn't matter, Roseline. Just take a look at all the sweets I got from his house and be thankful we are acquainted."

"Did you steal them?"

"Stop asking questions and _bask_."

 

* * *

 

As he'd previously thought, he did get friendly with one of the local butchers. Blood was a touch and go thing for him recently. He might go days without feeling hungry and then be oddly ravenous. Dave had never had much blood lust apart from his initial change. Sure, he got hungry, but he was always well fed. Living in Washington had truly proved him wrong. People smelled delicious here. Dave never thought that would be something he'd casually attribute to a person.

Speaking of the dorky pianist, you've been catching him out and about more recently. It has a lot to do with the fact that you leave your house regularly now. John always blushes when you jokingly hit on him. It's maddening. You've never had to ignore your hunger pangs so hard. Two days this week you've had to end your impromptu chats prematurely. On good days, you make him blush all the way to his roots, and then go home and chug a whole container of blood. Rose is oddly persistent about John, too. You see each other at least once a day, coming or going, so it isn't hard to keep her updated. Although, there's hardly anything more to say over just a few weeks of being "acquainted". You made good on your commitment to keep the human at an arms length. You've also developed a habit of blaming him for shit that probably wasn't his fault. Example One: your hunger.

You think the butcher appreciates your continued patronage, at least- almost to a weird degree. The stuff you've been getting is a lot better than the first time you went. There is a hell of a language barrier, but the man's old face crinkles with a smile when you google translate "thank you" into Chinese to show your appreciation somewhat. None of that is the weird part.

What's weird is the way he treats you compared to other customers. He has a general distaste for _everyone_ that comes into his shop, and you were no exception in the beginning. In fact, in the beginning he seemed to hate you _more_ than the average customer. You didn't speak his language, and you didn't look like you belonged. The change was disturbing. Now when you walked into the butcher's shop, he seemed to draw into himself and tread very lightly, like you might snap at him.

It plagued his mind. Dave couldn't remember having done a single thing to denote the behavior shift. As usual, he had his poker face and cool manner front and center. It would have sucked royally if he pissed off the only viable option for blood in his postal code, so he kept himself in check. The whole situation aroused a suspicion familiar to the kind he got when someone "just wanted to be Rose's friend". He hated teenagers. But more importantly, he hated not knowing people's motives. It must have been his Lalonde side.

 

* * *

 

John wanted him to meet his friends. Fuck.

It wasn't a date. He'd made _sure_ it wasn't a date. A subtle insinuation of John's romantic interest in him had the blue eyed boys vehemently denying anything of the sort. It was a friend gathering. A gathering of friends. _John_ wanted _Dave_ to meet his _friends_. That was it. _Fuck_.

Dave didn't want to meet John's friends, but with the heart eyes he kept flashing him, it was unreasonably hard to say no. He'd looked so hopeful when he caught him right before Dave had unlocked his door and grew a fucking spine. Yeah, John, I'll totally go on a bromantic, no-homo date with you to meet your nerdy college friends. Like, what. Come on, Strider. He's not even your boyfriend.

The day of the unholy gathering steamrolls right over you, and before you know it, you and John are walking from your apartments to some coffee shop that you're sure is probably too cliche for you to step foot in without ironically combusting.

You are Dave Strider, and you can't help the foreboding feeling that settles lightly on your skin.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tell me your thoughts if you want. I like to hear other people's perspectives. but i also have a soft heart so um be chill plz if you ever comment

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos, Comment, Bookmark, Subscribe. Whatever You Want.


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